Flashlight



May 23, 1944. P. x. NOEL v 2,349,453

FLASBLIGH'I.

Filed Nov. 21, 1941 inf W mv NTO ATTORNEYS,

Patented May 23, 1944 FLASHLIGHT Philip X. Noel, Bridgeport, Conn,assignor to The Bridgeport Metal Goods Manufacturing Com- Conn, acorporation of Da y, Bridgeport, Connecticut Application November 21,1941, Serial No. 419,869

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a flashlight and has for an object to providean improved and simplified construction whereby a pivoted closure for anopening in one side of the end wall of the flashlight casing, and whichwhen in closed position fills out the general contour of the casing,carries a mounting for the lamp bulb to move therewith so that when theclosure is in the closed position the bulb is concealed and protectedwithin the casing and when the closure is in the open position the lampis shifted to project its light outwardly through the opening, togetherwith means whereby when the closure is swung between the closed andopened positions the circuit through the lamp is closed and opened bythese movements.

With the foregoing and other objects in view I have devised theconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification. It is, however, to be understood I am not limited tothe specific details and arrangement shown but may employ variouschanges and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device with the Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the upper end por- 1 tion showing the closure in the openposition;

Fig. 4 is a detail section through one wall of the casing showing themeans for fastening a supporting clip;

Fig. 5 is a view looking from the right of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through the upper end portion of thedevice on an enlarged scale showing the position the parts occupy whenthe closure is in closed position, and

Fig. 7 is a similar View showing the position the parts occupy when theclosure is in the open position, but showing the elements carrying thelamp in side elevation.

The construction shown comprises a metal cas ing Hi. and is preferablymade of two sections including a body section H and an end section [2detachably connected together by any suitable means such as thetelescoping threaded connection it which permits turning of the headsection at various angles relative to the body section to throw thelight in different directions, as well as permitting separation of thesections for removal and insertion of batteries, or for any otherpurpose desired. The body section I l encloses one or preferablyconcaved inwardly somewhat so as to provide a rounded seat to engage thend wall of the battery and form good electrical contact therewith.

The end section 12 has a rounded end it, preferably substantiallyhemispherical, and this section has an opening I! through a portion ofthe side wall andthe end wall, preferably about one half of the curvedend. Pivotally mounted in this opening is a closure I8 and this closureis shaped so that when in closed position it substantially fills out thegeneral contour of the casing, and is also curved similar to thecurvature of the end wall 16 so that when swung to the open position thecurved portion l9 swings to a position to lie at the inner sideof thecurved portion it of the end wall, as shown clearly in Fig. 7. Theclosure may be formed of sheet metal similar to that of the casing andis pivoted to the casing at the opposite sides thereof at the points 20by suitable rivets or pins. At the lower edge of its front wall it has atongue 21 projecting downwardly to lie against the outer surface of theside wall and has its lower end rolled up as shown at 22 to form afinger grip for swinging the closure to the open position of Figs. 3 and'1.

The closure is preferably provided with one or more pressed-up nubs 23in its top wall to frictionally engage the inner side of the curved endwall It when the closure is swung to the open position to retain it inthis or an intermediate position. and when the closure is in closedposition to snap outside the free edge 24 of the curved wall to retainthe closure in this position.

Mounted on the inner side of the closure is means for mounting the lampbulb 25. This comprises a cupped shell 26 mounted on the inner side ofthe closure is so as to move with the closure, and may be secured to theclosure by any suitable means such for example as soldering or brazing.This shell is therefore grounded on the closure and the casing. Mountedin the open side of this shell is a mounting 21 for the glass lens 28,and the side wall of the shell and of the mounting 21 may be formed withinterengaging screw threads 30 to permit ready mounting of the lens inand its removal from the shell. It will be noted the shell is so locatedthat its axis is longitudinal with or substantially parallel to the sidewall of the closure so that when the closure is in the closed positionthis axis extends longitudinally of the casing and the lens is withinthe casing where it is enclosed and protected. When the closure is swungto the open position this lens moves with more batteries M and its lowerend wall I5 is it to aposition substantially in the openinginthe casingand with the axis of the shell extending transversely of the casing sothat light from the lamp bulb is directed laterally through the opening.

The lamp is mounted in a socket 3|, preferably a screw shell socket,into which the threaded base or side contact 32 of the lamp is threaded.This socket extends through an opening in the bottom or inner end wall33 of the shell 26 and is rolled over on the inner side thereof to forma flange as shown at 34. On the opposite side the socket has anoutwardly pressed bead 35 to engage the outer side of the wall 33, thebead 35 and flange 34 eifectively securing the socket on the end wall.At its opposite end the socket has an inwardly extending flange 36 or anend wall provided with a central opening 36a, and a generally U-shapedspring contact 31 is mounted on this end wall and insulated therefrom byinsulating washers 38 and 39 located on opposite sides of the end wallor flange 36. These washers 38 and 39 are connected together and the leg40 of the contact 31 is secured thereto by a metal rivet 4|. The opening36a in the end wall 36 is considerably larger than the rivets so thatthe rivet and contact 31 are electrically insulated from the socket 3|.The inner end of the rivet, however, is located at the inner side of theinsulating washer 39 so as to be engaged by the central contact 42 ofthe lamp bulb.

Mounted on the inner side of the section l2 opposite to the closure is aspring contact and conductor 43. Its lower free end portion as shown inFigs. 1 and 6 extends inwardly so as to engage the central pole 44 ofthe battery and it forms a spring to make a good contact with thebattery pole and to press the battery downwardly so as to retain thelower end and shell contact of the battery in engagement with the lowerend If) of the casing. It also prevents the batteries from shiftingaround in the casing and compensates for different lengths of batteries.It further forms a yieldable cushion for the battery should the devicebe dropped and to prevent the battery from hitting the lens 28. Thisconductor and contact 43 is insulated from the side wall of the section|2 by insulating strips 45 and 46, the strip 45 being between theconductor and the wall of the casing while the strip 46 is on theopposite or inner side of this conductor. The strips and the conductorare secured to the easing by the rivets 41, the openings through theconductor being considerably larger than the rivets so that it remainsout of contact with the rivets and is therefore insulated from therivets and the casing. The upper end of this conductor as shown at 4B isspaced from the wall of the casing and forms a spring contact inposition to be engaged by the spring contact 31 as shown in Fig. '1.When the closure I8 is swung to the open position this free end portion48 provides a yieldable spring contact to be engaged by the springcontact 31. and it will be seen that movement of the contact 31 has awiping action on the contact 48, thus maintaining the contact ingsurfaces clean and free of dirt or oxidation and insuring goodelectrical contact. It will be seen that when the closure I8 is moved toclosed position movement of the lamp socket and the contact 31 with itcarries the contact 31 away from the contact 48 to open the circuit tothe lamp. It will thus be evident that movement of the closure from theclosed position of Figs. 1 and 6 to the open position of Figs. 3 and 1automatically closes the circuit through the lamp as the lamp is movedto a position to throw its light through the opening in the casing, andwhen the closure is shifted to the closed position the circuit throughthe lamp is automatically opened so that there is no danger of closingthe opening without opening the circuit to the lamp. The circuit iscompleted from the lower end or shell of the battery to the end wall l5of the casing, to the closure l8, the shell 26 and the socket 3| to theside contact 32 of the lamp, the filament of the lamp. the centralcontact 42, rivet 4|, to contact 31 and through contact 43 to the otherpole 44 of the battery. The central lamp contact 42 could projectthrough the opening 36a in the socket to directly engage the contact 43to close the circuit, but it is preferred to use the intermediatecontact 31 as this insures a uniform relation and action between thecircuit closing contacts at all times regardless of variations in thelamp bulbs, which might not be true where the central lamp contactengaged the contact 48 direct. I

A spring clip 49 is fastened to the outer side wall of the casing by anysuitable means such for example as lugs 50 formed on the inner portion5| of the clip and passing through openings in the wall of the shell andfolded over on the inner side thereof. This clip forms a convenientmeans for supporting the flashlight on the belt of the user or othersuitable support. By merely slipping it over the upper edge of the belt,the device can be conveniently carried leaving the hands free for otherpurposes such as handling work tools, or fishing rods, etc. The headportion |2 may be turned to direct the light laterally at differentangles as desired. In using the device all that is necessary is to liftup on the finger piece 2| raising the closure from the opening in theside of the casing and shifting the lamp and lens to direct the lightlaterally, and it may be arranged at difierent angles to direct thelight horizontally or downwardly at an angle as desired. The closure l8also forms a hood over the top of the light to shield and protect it. Ifthe light is no longer desired all that is necessary is to pushdownwardly on the finger piece 2|, swinging the closure to closedposition, which will automatically carry the lamp and lens to a positionwithin the casing where they are enclosed and protected by the casing.This simple movement also automatically opens the circuit to the lamp sothere is no danger of running down the battery.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention what I claim is:

1. A flashlight comprising a cylindrical casing having a rounded endwall and having an opening in a side wall and part of said end wall. aclosure for said opening pivoted to the casing and shaped to fill outthe general contour of the casing when in closed position and said endwall and said closure when in this position together forming asubstantially semi-spherical end. for the casing, a spring contactsecured to said casing and insulated therefrom, said contact extendingto a position to engage a pole of a battery in said casing, a lampsocket carried by said closure to move therewith and disconnected fromsaid contact when the closure is in the closed position. and saidcontact being positioned to close the circuit from the battery to a lampin said socket when the closure is in open position. said closure whenin open position being in alignment with the rounded end Wall of thecasing and extending laterally from said end wall as a continuationthereof over the opening and thelamp, and the light from the lamp isdirected laterally.

2. A flashlight comprising a casing having a rounded end wall and anopening through one side of said end wall, a closure for said openingcurved similar to the end wall and shaped to fill out the generalcontour of the casing when in closed position, means for pivotallymounting the closure in the casing to swing to an open position at theinner side of the end wall, a cupped shell mounted on the inner side ofthe closure to move therewith, a. lens closing the open side of theshell and movable to the opening when the closure is shifted to the openposition, a lamp socket mounted in the inner wall of the shell, acontact mounted at and insulated from the ,inner end of the socket andhaving electrical connection with the central contact of a lamp H thesocket, and a springcontact mounted on (the inner side of the casing inposition to engage a pole of a battery in the casing and extending to aposition to beengaged by the first v mentioned contact when the closureis shifted to the open position to close the circuit through the lamp.

PHILIP X. NOEL.

